U.S. winter wheat is starting off the 2020 growing season with a good-to-excellent condition rating slightly above last year, according to USDA’s first weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.

For the week ended April 5, 2020, winter wheat was rated 62% in good-to-excellent condition, up slightly from 60% at the same time last year. Nine percent of the crop was rated poor to very poor, the same as last year.

Top winter-wheat-producing state Kansas reported 49% of its crop in good-to-excellent condition, slightly below 55% at the same time last year. Good-to-excellent ratings in Washington and Oklahoma — last year’s other two top producers — were 82% and 73%, respectively.

For the other crops USDA included in its report this week, planting was progressing at a near- to above-average pace. Sorghum was 15% planted, compared to 14% last year and a 13% five-year average. Cotton planting was 7% complete, compared to 5% last year and a 5% average. Rice was 17% planted, compared to 17% last year and a 19% average.

Oats were 26% planted as of April 5, compared to 26% last year and a 29% average. Emergence was at 24%, compared to 25% last year and a 25% average.

“Topsoil moisture surplus numbers are interesting with Arkansas leading at 70%,” said DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman. “North Dakota’s surplus topsoil moisture was at 43%, Minnesota’s was 47%, Wisconsin’s was 38% and Michigan’s was 44%.

National Crop Progress Summary
This Last Last 5-Year
Week Week Year Avg.
Cotton Planted 7 NA 5 5
Sorghum Planted 15 NA 14 13
Oats Planted 26 NA 26 29
Oats Emerged 24 NA 25 25
Rice Planted 17 NA 17 19
Rice Emerged 10 NA 6 7

**

National Crop Condition Summary
(VP=Very Poor; P=Poor; F=Fair; G=Good; E=Excellent)
This Week Last Week Last Year
VP P F G E VP P F G E VP P F G E
Winter Wheat 2 7 29 53 9 NA NA NA NA NA 2 7 31 48 12

 

Anthony Greder can be reached at anthony.greder@dtn.com

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Source: Anthony Greder, DTN